The Philippines and Vietnam reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral defense cooperation during the 6th Vice-Ministers’ Defense Strategic Dialogue (VMDSD) on Monday.
Department of National Defense (DND) Spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the dialogue was co-chaired by DND Senior Undersecretary Irineo C. Espino and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defense Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien.
The officials commended the results of the 7th Meeting of the Defense Cooperation Working Group (DCWG), and underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral defense cooperation under the 2015 Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Vietnam.
“They valued the defense cooperation achievements since the 5th VMDSD in 2023, which included exchanges at multiple levels, maintaining consultation and dialogue, information exchange, and cooperation in services, training, and education,” Andolong said.
The delegations shared views on global and regional situations of mutual concern, affirming that peace, stability, and common development are global interests.
“They also emphasized joint efforts to strengthen ASEAN’s solidarity and centrality in the regional security structure,” he added.
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien commended the effective cooperation between the two countries’ maritime law enforcement forces in maintaining security in bordering maritime areas.
Senior Undersecretary Espino, on the other hand, lauded the cooperation in logistics, defense industry, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), military medicine, cybersecurity, and United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.
Additionally, both sides agreed to closely coordinate and support the other at multilateral forums and pledged support for events hosted by each country, including the Asian Defense and Security (ADAS) Exhibition in the Philippines in September 2024, and the 2nd Viet Nam International Defence Exhibition in December 2024.
In light of the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Philippines-Vietnam strategic partnership in 2025, both delegations are looking forward to the visit of General Phan Văn Giang, Viet Nam’s Minister of Defence to the Philippines in August 2024, following the invitation from DND Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.
